


Lessons

by terriblush



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: F/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-26
Updated: 2018-05-26
Packaged: 2019-05-13 18:10:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14753763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/terriblush/pseuds/terriblush
Summary: My second favorite trope: broken translators!





	Lessons

**Author's Note:**

> MAJOR thanks to GryphonRampant for sharing her work cataloging and figuring out Shelesh. I wouldn't have been able to cobble any of this together without her notes to butcher. (I moved prefixes and suffixes around with abandon, so I am to blame for any weirdness.)
> 
> Also, please consider activating this work's skin if you have creator's styles turned off. Translations of what Jaal is saying are in whited out spoiler boxes after his lines. Highlight to read them. If you leave the style inactive, they're just the parts in brackets.

Ryder flicked through the latest data packet from the Nexus, flagging information for each department and sending it out, along with a CC to Cora.

She took a drink of her coffee. More paperwork. Reports for Addison about Taerve Uni and Diteon, a few messages from ambassador Rialla, and messages from Kandros and Evfra about the same damn joint APEX thing they couldn't seem to agree on. Those she forwarded to Jaal with a request for help.

Ryder sighed, settled down into the meeting room couch, and opened the first message from Rialla.

 

* * *

 

Two hours later, she was adding a finished report to the pending data packet when she noticed her omnitool flash and start blinking through a loading cycle.

_What the heck?_

Ryder pulled up the crew message board on a data pad and immediately found the problem.

> _Small issue updating translation software, guys. This was a big update to include a bunch more Shelesh and some other angaran languages, and there are some kinks to work out. Only main translators and productivity software should be affected, not critical systems. Things will be weird for a while. Sorry. (Signing in the message body because of the weirdness: Gil.)_
> 
> _[Gil]_
> 
> _***_
> 
> _{ERROR $asr03/CODEX UNAVAILABLE} It is a good thing I learned English and French. Drack knows {ERROR UTF-asr03 NOT FOUND}. I can translate for anyone who does not. I hope this will be fixed quickly, Gil? Lexi._
> 
> _[{ERROR UTF-asr03 NOT FOUND}]_
> 
> ***
> 
> _{ERROR $sal4124/CODEX UNAVAILABLE} Gil! {ERROR $sal4124/CODEX UNAVAILABLE}_
> 
> _[{ERROR UTF-sal4124 NOT FOUND}]_
> 
> ***
> 
> _Know I English enough, some bad. Lucky have letters the omnitool mine. Vetra._
> 
> _[{ERROR UTF-tncomchar NOT FOUND}]_
> 
> ***
> 
> _¡Ahora es el tiempo puedo practicar español! ¿Quien hablar? PEEBS_
> 
> _[{ERROR UTF-asr45 NOT FOUND}]_
> 
> _***_
> 
> _Hablo español, Peebee. ¡Me encantaron nuestros viajes a Barcelona cuando era joven! Deberías escribir "quién habla". ¿Vamanos a la cocina? Suvi._
> 
> _[Suvi]_

Well, great.

At least the humans on board all spoke English, and it seemed like just about everyone else could make do for a while. Speaking any krogan language was like mimicking a kettle drum with your vocal chords, so Ryder just hoped her Siari wasn't too rusty. She frowned as she realized she didn't know any salarian languages. _Shit. Maybe Kallo knows something else, or hopefully Suvi knows enough to_ _help us_ _communicate._

She heard a door open and put down her work to stretch. _Fuck it, time for a break anyway, and I'm not gonna get anything else done right now._

Jaal was coming up the ramp and smiled when he saw her. "Paavoa, Ryder. Toveas ove paarasanona kaarves Evfra eoa Kandros gosanna? Ta vea pas dos taveanjj aralaara." _[Hello, Ryder. You asked for my opinion about the disagreement Evfra and Kandros were having? I believe I have a solution for the problem.]_

"Oh, _crap,"_ she whispered, staring at him with giant eyes.

As if it wasn't hard enough to concentrate around him lately. How the fuck did the angara ever get _anything_ done sounding like that? She swallowed and stiffened her muscles to keep from shivering.

He immediately looked concerned and hurried up to her, hesitantly holding out a hand. "Veshet? Ryder, paav do?" _[Is something wrong? (imperative) Ryder, are you okay?]_

She blinked. "Wait."

Jaal looked surprised, but pulled his hand back and asked, "Naari?" _[What?]_

"You can understand me."

He looked incredulous and tilted his head. "Nasenoa onpaara javelesh! Tovara, Ryder?" _[Of course I can understand (your words)! What are you talking about, Ryder?]_

"Shit. Of course, you're not on our... _crap_. I mean, this is a good thing but...well, shit."

He just crossed his arms, clearly waiting for her to explain whatever the hell was going on.

She ran her hands over her head. "Our translators are down for a while until Gil fixes them."

He made a sound of recognition and an absentminded question rolled out of his mouth while he tried to pull up his omnitool. He encountered the same loading indicator and nodded as he closed it. She handed him the data pad she'd used and he flicked through to his visor's translation software before he read.

"Gil didn't elaborate, but the rest of us are gonna have to deal with it until it's fixed," she shrugged and smiled. "You could use this opportunity to air all your grievances without repercussions."

Jaal crossed his arms with a smile and leaned forward slightly as he said something rumbling and soft and beautiful. She was so surprised that she couldn't follow the sounds. Ryder glanced into his eyes, then down with an obvious blush.

_Shit. Fuck._

She cleared her throat and backed up to pace.

"SAM, can you help at all?" Ryder asked.

"The most assistance I could provide would be to translate Jaal's words after he says them. The nuance might also be lost. I have not installed the newest translation information. I prefer to learn from immersion: reading through texts provided and hearing language directly."

"Really, that's it?" she asked skeptically.

"I am not actually capable of literally granting you knowledge."

"That's not what I was asking you to—translation would _help_ at least. _Ugh_. Y'know what, just...nevermind." She waved one hand and rubbed her eyes with the other.

Jaal laughed and said something with the word "SAM" in the middle.

"Jaal has informed me he does not mind if I translate for him, as he can understand and correct any mistakes." SAM volunteered.

"Great," Ryder sighed.

Jaal glanced at her, watched her posture, and said something lower, quieter, that made a shiver claw its way up her spine.

"Jaal says that my explanation was too formal," SAM offered.

"Um. How about...you just hold off on translating for now, SAM," Ryder said.

"Of course, Ryder."

Now Jaal was fucking smirking at her.

"What are you up to?" she asked, crossing her arms.

He laughed easily and shook his head, watching her with...affection? Another slow, thoughtful phrase left him.

"You are such a shit," she laughed nervously. "I bet you're absolutely loving this, understanding everything while I have no clue what you're saying." Ryder sat back down and crossed her arms while she rolled her eyes. "I won't hold you back from teasing everyone else, too. Go ahead."

She smiled and waved to the ramp, expecting him to say something snarky and leave. Instead, he took a deep breath and pushed off the railing to come sit next to her.

"Onvespaaraanan het lo govageshaara garessen tas ve, eoa lo het volinal. Het a paaraal volinoala tas ve pasaovaas taveon pas goasanoan." He looked up from his hands, clasped shyly in his lap, and smiled. So guilelessly, so radiant and hopeful that her breath caught. _[I would be a fool not to take advantage of the opportunity this presents, but not for mischief. I'm far less interested in teasing anyone else than I am finally feeling comfortable enough to talk to you the way I've wanted to.]_

"I really wish I could understand your language right now," she said. "That sounded... _unnaturally_ beautiful, but for all I know, you could have been talking about supplies you need to pick up next time we stop at Aya."

"Taona govepaara," he whispered, his hand twitching toward her before being pulled back to his lap. _[I would love to teach you.]_

"Yeah, that doesn't help," she chuckled and looked away with her face burning.

"Ona hespaara onansala het lo govaas set a vaasasan tas vao onpas," he whispered, his voice raw. _[I'm desperate to know if the way you look at me means what I hope it might.]_

 _"Shit,"_ she whispered.

Jaal slowly reached for her hand, tightly fisted in her lap, and gently touched it before holding his hand open, palm up. She hesitantly took it and he squeezed it with a gentle smile.

"Um...okay?" she chuckled nervously. "What's this about?"

He chuckled too, shaking his head, "Ryder, onpaara angara tovara onvespaara yav taosan, eoa _pashara?"_ _[Ryder, I know people say I'm oblivious, but really?]_

"Oh I know _this one,"_ she said, making a face and raising her eyebrows. "You're giving me shit again."

"Vol," he shook his head. _[No.]_

"Oh, come on," she scoffed.

Jaal considered and hummed, then squeezed her hand and let go as he turned toward her.

"Tas vesoan do?" he asked, smirking again, gesturing to her with a shrug. "Ansala Shelesh paaraal?" _[(imperative) Are you an explorer/adventurer? Do you want to learn Shelesh (now)?]_

Ryder narrowed her eyes at him and crossed her arms again.

"Okay, can you repeat that slower, one sentence at a time?" she asked.

His eyes twinkled. "Tas...vesoan...do?"

"Ok...toss vesh oh on dough?"

Jaal chuckled and shook his head, emphasizing the words again.

"Tas. Het 'toss.'"

"Tahs."

"Tas."

"Taas?"

He smiled and shrugged, then moved on.

 _"Ves_ -o-an, _**het** vehsh_ -oan, Ryder. Akksul tas _vehsh-_ aanan, paara do?" _[Change-guide, **not** shit-guide, Ryder. (imperative) Akksul is a shit-person-pleased-emphasized, remember?]_

 _"Vesss_ ohann. Vesssohann...oh, you said that means...explorer, right? And Akksul is a...oh. Oh _shit!"_ She clapped a hand over her mouth as he started to laugh. "I said something like 'a person who shits' instead of a person who explores, didn't I?"

Jaal nodded through his laughter and wiped his eyes with a smile. _"Ves_ -oan," he emphasized.

"Vess oh ahn. Vessohahn."

"Vesoan."

"Ves-oahn."

He shrugged, then pointed to her and asked, slowly emphasizing, _"Tas_ vesoan, do?" _[(imperative) **Are** you an explorer?]_

"So...does...'doh' mean...a question?"

"Vol," he said, shaking his head. Jaal paused and scrunched his face, while he considered. "Tas Jaal," he said, patting his chest, then, "Tas Ryder," as he patted her knee.

He moved back to pat himself. "Tas gosavar. Evfra tas _kaaroan_ gosavara."

He patted her knee again. "Ryder tas _kaaroan_ Tempest."

"Kaaroan. Leader?" she asked.

"Kaara tas..." he thought, then mimicked stabbing someone and pulling up a rifle, looking to see if she understood.

"Kaara is...fight? Or...battle? Battle...oan...battle leader? Specifically a combat leader?" Jaal nodded encouragingly. "Ves...oan...ves... _aal_ is time of change—vesoan—leader of changes?" She asked excitedly.

He nodded. "Tas vesoan yav vaona," he said, touching her arm and gesturing out the observation windows. _[You are an explorer of the stars.]_

"I explore the stars?" she asked quietly.

He nodded again, then smiled and rested his hand warmly on her shoulder. "Eoa tas va vesoan yavoa Shelesh." _[And now you're an explorer of Shelesh.]_

She blushed and looked down at her lap with a smile. "Now I'm exploring Shelesh?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

He smiled and squeezed her arm. "Ansala Shelesh paaraal, Ryder?" he asked softly. _[Do you want to learn Shelesh (now) Ryder?]_

She couldn't swallow around the lump in her throat. _Shit, I just want him to keep talking to me._

"Um. Are...you offering to teach me Shelesh?"

"Roa. Paaraal javelesh?" _[Yes. Would you like to learn our language (now)?]_

"You lost me," she chuckled.

He smiled and she felt a charge from his fingertips as he patted her shoulder. He sat back and crossed his arms, relaxing against the couch.

"Roa..." he said, glancing up and tapping a forefinger on his arm as he hummed.

"Roa," he nodded and smiled, "tam _vol,"_ he said, shaking his head and frowning.

"Roa is happy? Tam-vol is sad?"

 _"Vol,"_ he said, shaking his head with a smile.

"Oh! Yes or no? Rowah tom vole."

"Roa!" Jaal chuckled.

"Rowah?"

"Rrr-o-a."

"Rro-aah."

"Roa."

"Roah?"

"Paav," he smiled. "Eoa set _'vol.'"_ _[And now try 'no.']_

"Vole?"

"Vol."

"Voal?"

He laughed, "Vol, Ryder, 'vol' tove do!" _[No, Ryder! (imperative) Say 'no!']_

"Look, I'm trying!" she chuckled and rolled her eyes.

"Roa," he said with a warm smile, "Onpaara." _[Yes. I know.]_

Ryder couldn't help smiling back, but caught herself after a few seconds of staring into his eyes. Her heart was racing, so she looked down while she cleared her throat and tried to breathe slowly.

"Not that I'm not enjoying the lesson, but I'm sure you have something more important to do," she said, glancing back up with a roll of her eyes.

"Vol," Jaal said, shaking his head. He was still watching her with the same expression. It made her stomach ache.

"Vaasara...tas va govanjj tavetara set vaona." Jaal whispered. _[Your eyes...are like the depths between the stars.]_

"Um."

He smiled and shook his head, glancing down. "Onpaara, het tas voara," he said, looking away from her, "toveaal o onpaara tas va het vopaara, lo eoa...ovespaara ehamar pas tova tasaal va paara vesa. O tas va ushiaal, ongosan yavoa, het la voveseham." He closed his eyes and sighed. _[I know, it's not fair, saying these things when I know you can't understand, but...I don't know yet how to say them when I know you can. When I'm with you, I don't want to leave.]_

 _"...wow,"_ she whispered, staring at him and swallowing.

Jaal laughed nervously and shook his head while he mumbled something under his breath. He rubbed his forehead.

"Uh _huh,"_ Ryder said, narrowing her eyes. "So...did you just admit something embarrassing?"

He considered and shrugged. "...vol?" _[...no?]_

"You're a terrible liar."

He laughed and some tension receded. "Roa," he admitted, "ona tas va." _[Yes, I am.]_

Jaal reached for her hand and Ryder bit the inside of her bottom lip. _He's touched me more in the past half hour than he ever has before. What is he doing? Am I just imagining this?_

"Ryder..." he looked down, traced her palm, and took a deep bracing breath before looking into her eyes. "tas paavaan, eoa govetaraan. Tas...heshaan eoa onashae." _[Ryder, you're...a good, generous person. A...special person, and you're dear to me.]_

"I am...paahvahn, heshahn..." she whispered, narrowing her eyes, noting how still he was sitting, how shallow his breaths were. "Okay...I can figure this out..."

A sigh shuddered softly out of him and he reached to cup her cheek. _Shit._  

"Aan...so I know...tavetaan, a bar or a friend." Jaal was smiling at her, slowly tangling his fingertips in her hair. She blushed and gently leaned her head against his hand. He smiled wider and sent a charge through his touch. She shivered and blushed harder.

"Uh...so...also vehshaanan, which is someone who likes their own shit..." He chuckled and looked down while he shook his head. "Hey you've only got yourself to blame here! You're responsible for 99% of my vocabulary." Jaal shrugged and kept laughing. "Ok, what else has the suffix 'aan'...voneraan is astronomer. And whatever you called me. So, nouns. People?"

Jaal sent another wave of happiness over her scalp and said, "Roa. Paav, Ryder." _[Yes. Good, Ryder.]_

"Paav. Pahvahn is one of the things you said, isn't it?"

He nodded, gaze trailing after his fingers. She cleared her throat again. "Correct person?" she guessed.

"Vol," he smiled.

"Hm..." she took a deep breath, and asked, heart in her throat, mask of teasing bravado in place, "... _attractive_ person?"

Jaal laughed in surprise and shook his head. "Roa _tas_ va, Ryder," he chuckled, "eoa, _vol_. Paav," he said. "Paav...paavoa? Novoa?" _[Yes, you **are,** Ryder, but **no** that's not it. Good. Good...Good day? Day?]_

"Greeting...person?" she ventured, shaking her head. He brought his hand back to do something with his wrist tool, and Ryder ran her hand through her hair. She still felt his touch on her scalp, but she tried to settle her nerves. Jaal held up a diagram for her, one large sphere and a smaller one revolving around it. "A...solar system?"

He nodded and pointed to the planet, rotating it on its axis once. "Novoa," he said.

"A day?"

"Roa."

He pulled up another diagram, two vaguely angara figures greeting each other. "Paavoa," he said encouragingly.

"Yeah, paavoa means hello..." she said, not following.

"NOVoa...PAAVoa..." he trailed off hopefully.

"Day. Greeting. Hello day. Good morning—oh!" Ryder slapped her forehead as it clicked. Jaal laughed. "Paav is good?" she asked.

"Roa!" he said, closing his tool with a grin.

"Paavaan. Good person?" she said tentatively.

Jaal nodded and smiled. "Roa. Tas paavaan, Ryder," he said firmly.

"Oh," she said, fiddling with her fingernails and blushing. "Um, thanks," she smiled. "That...actually means a lot, Jaal. I mean, I try, but...you can't please everyone. And...I'm glad I've earned your trust." She glanced up and froze at the look on his face.

Jaal slowly reached out to cup her cheek again, and she leaned back into his touch with a smile. He sighed, flushed and happy.

"Ryder...ona la _vespaara_ , eoa asanara anjjhena." He sighed and let his eyes trail down to her lips. _[Ryder, I must have lost all my sense, because I really want to kiss you.]_

"Fuck," she whispered, and the corner of his mouth twitched before he glanced back up in amusement. She smiled, but the heat in her chest didn't dissipate in the slightest.

"I hope, if I'm about to embarrass myself, you can forgive me," she whispered, reaching up to cup his cheek as well. His breath shuddered. Her eyes followed as she slowly stroked under his bottom lip with her thumb. He shivered and his lips parted slightly.

"Is this okay, Jaal?" she asked, not having the nerve to look into his eyes.

 _"Roa,"_ he whispered, leaning closer.

"I..."

"Ryder," he whispered, mirroring the movement of her thumb. She bit her lip hard and closed her eyes with a breathy shudder. "tas varoa?" he asked. He'd leaned even closer. Now his nose was brushing hers and she felt the heat of his breath. _[Ryder, is this okay?]_

"Jaal, are you..."

"Ryder. Tovesan loa. Roa...tam vol?" His touch was heavy and she wanted to sink into his gravity. _[Ryder. Tell me, please. Yes...or no?]_

"I _swear_ , Jaal, if you don't _kiss_ me, aft—"

She never finished her threat because he pulled her close and met her lips with a groan.

His mouth joined hers, warm, solid pressure pulling her close. Slow movements to taste and explore. He breathed in sharply and pulled her closer, pressed deeper with even more hunger for her touch.

His warmth encompassed her and his _fucking hands_ were roaming into her hair, down her back. They disappeared for individual flashes, accompanied by urgent frustrated sounds from the back of his throat. When they returned, his skin was finally on hers and she found the wits to grab onto him.

Her hand braced on his neck just under his chin and she felt his racing heartbeat through her palm, even faster than hers. He groaned harder and dug his fingertips into the back of her neck, pressed his other hand just above the small of her back.

_Fucking shit, Jaal._

"Ryder...onastyr...onvesoan a voanara," he chuckled against her lips. "Sara," he whispered. "Geshasan onvesoanara, voastyraan..." _[Ryder my light...my explorer. You feel like sunsilk. Sara. I long to touch you, put my hands on you, my beautiful, soft, adventurous starlight.]_

"That better mean something as flattering as it sounds," she said, pulling herself up to kiss him again. She felt his laughter on her tongue and felt it melt into her waist from his hands. They roamed, slowly exploring down her back.

"Mmm..." his hands gripped her hips tightly as she threw a leg over his and settled onto his lap. Jaal looked a little breathless, but he smiled with a twinkle. "Roa, okaaroa," he chuckled, reaching up to cup her cheeks again and slide a hand into her hair. "eoa, tas...tavetaan, Sara," he said, "tas onashae." _[Yes, you are definitely fierce, but I also feel so comfortable with you, Sara, my dearest.]_

"I'm not...exactly sure what you just said, but...you're...I..."

He just watched her with a smile and let his eyes roam over her. His hands trailed down gently, over her neck and down her arms. His thumbs moved restlessly over her hands.

Ryder blushed and looked down. "I'd like to..."

He squeezed her hands in answer and his arm curved around her waist, solidly holding her in place. Jaal moved his other hand up her arm, warm and slow. His palm slid over her neck and he leaned forward. She hummed into the kiss, feeling him smile. He shivered under her and settled her against his hips. She gasped and flushed deeply.

"Sara, tas varoa?" he whispered urgently, smoothing his hands hard down her back. His lips were on her chin, moving back along her jaw to her neck. Her breaths were speeding up and she dug her fingernails into the back of his head to urge him on.

"Yes, _yes,_ keep going, _please,"_ she breathed out.

His hand was digging into her ass and he pressed her firmly against him while he groaned into her neck. His mouth had _just_ started to do something _very interesting_ with the skin right under her jaw when the cargo bay doors slid open and dumped a bucket of ice water into her brain.

 _I am in the meeting room in front of everyone what the fuck am I doing?_ A rebellious part of her mind answered, _What was I_ supposed _to do,_ not _make out with him? He was whispering sweet nothings in a foreign language! They can only expect so much from me!_

She threw Jaal a panicked look and stood, then impulsively grabbed his hand and gave it a quick kiss and a squeeze to reassure him. Gil's voice carried as he walked toward a ramp. Ryder smoothed her hair and tried to calm her breathing. Jaal cleared his throat very loudly and she glared over her shoulder at his unrepentant grin. There was nothing to be done about the blush, but at least her clothes and hair were tidy.

An untranslated and furious salarian voice came out of Gil's omnitool. Suvi sounded soothing in the background. "Alright alright!" Gil interrupted, "Suvi can you tell him that—yes I _know, Kallo_. It wasn't my fault this time. I just need authorization from Ryder and the patch SAM and I have written should fix it..." Kallo hissed a dismissive sounding phrase and Gil grit his teeth. " _I understood that_ you _[cloaca-mouthed simpleton]!_ Just because I can't _speak it_ fluently doesn't mean I don't know the _insults_ —"

 _"Gentlemen."_ Ryder said severely. They stopped. Thankfully. She crossed her arms. "It sounds like there's a solution to this problem? Shall we work together, or would you rather continue bickering?" She repeated the general statement in Siari as best she could. Suvi was whispering to Kallo in the background. Gil answered sheepishly in English and Kallo gave a Siari affirmative. She waited just long enough for the silence to become slightly uncomfortable before she spoke again.

"Good," she said. "What do you need, Gil?"

He cleared his throat. "Just need a second admin authorization here," he said, handing her a datapad.

She skimmed, glancing at the comments he'd made as he worked. "And if this doesn't work, how hard will it be to just roll back to the old version until we can dock at the Nexus and dump this problem on someone else?" she asked.

Kallo squeaked a laugh and Gil sighed. "It'll _work,_ Ryder. And if it doesn't, I'll roll it all back, scout's honor."

"Alright," she said, putting in her authorization code. "ETA?"

"Ten or fifteen. Half hour at most," Gil shrugged, then glanced between her and Jaal and raised his eyebrows.

She cut him off before he said anything else. "Great. Good work. Let me know if you need anything else from me?"

"Sure," Gil nodded and closed his omnitool, "but if you want me to knock first, I'd suggest finding a room with a _door_ next time," he said, winking as he left.

Ryder kept her face blank, but Jaal's amused coughing fit drew a thumbs up from Gil as he walked down the ramp. He headed up to the bridge to finish his work. When the door closed behind him, Ryder cleared her throat awkwardly.

"Um...wanna grab something to drink while we wait?" she shrugged. Some tension left her when Jaal smiled and nodded for her to lead the way to the galley.

Letting go of the tension in her shoulders on the way to the ladders was a losing battle. Her arms were moving clumsily and it felt like the back of her neck was burning. She started rummaging in the cabinets as soon as they entered the galley, grateful for the distraction.

"Uh...so, I'm going to make some tea," she said, filling the kettle. "There's a few kinds that Suvi found on our last trip to Aya that are safe for us, so I might try one." Ryder scooted a bag of dried grains out of the way and dug a couple boxes out of the cabinet. She waved them as she set them down on the counter and kept rummaging. "Of course, I don't know if you even like them or not. I think I saw some dried paripo powder in here if you'd rather..."

Jaal's hand on her arm made her turn toward him. "Sara," he said, smiling softly, "pastiir do. Tas varoa." _[Sara, don't worry. It's ok.]_

She sighed. He smiled encouragingly and got out two mugs, then picked up one of the boxes she'd set aside and added some of the...dried bark flakes?...to his. Ryder picked the mildest smelling one and shoved everything back in the cabinet while Jaal added water and carried their cups to the table.

She fiddled, emptying the kettle and wiping the counters to help calm her nerves before she followed. He watched her when she sat down and laid his hand on the table, open in invitation. She took it with a shy smile and he gently squeezed her fingers.

"Ona vespasara tas set yavoshay," he said, glancing down at their hands, "eoa ogovapaara," Jaal glanced up with a wry smile. "Noad tas javenari vaasaoshay." _[I'm surprised you're so nervous, but also slightly reassured. It makes it easier to share my feelings with you.]_

Ryder cleared her throat. "Really can't wait until Gil's done," she said, sighing again.

"Roa, onavestara o daaranjj voaraad govaal," Jaal teased before he took a sip of his drink. _[Yes, I'll lose my unfair advantage soon.]_

She narrowed her eyes over her cup and hummed. "Hey SAM, you have a secure recording of my sensory input from the past hour or so, yeah?"

Jaal's eyes widened.

"Yes, Ryder," SAM answered. "Would you like to access them?"

"No thanks, SAM. Just checking," she said, smirking at Jaal.

He was blushing and his mouth hung open slightly, like he was searching for words and coming up blank. He shook his head with a chuckle and another squeeze of her hand while he took a drink of his tea. A few sheepish words followed an amused glance from under his brow.

When Ryder took a drink of her tea to hide her blush, her omnitool started blinking and spinning again. Jaal's did as well. She let go of his hand to open it and authorize the software update. As she did, Gil's voice came through the galley speakers.

"Alright. The ship-side translator firmware and peripheral software have been updated. We should now be able to gripe at each other without intermediaries. Omnitool updates have been pushed and you can make your own questionable choices about them. Just don't come crying to me if something breaks because your 'tool version doesn't match the ship's. Fresh bug reporting thread is on the crew board, and I'll forward to the Nexus. Brodie out."

Ryder rolled her eyes and turned her mug to cup her hands around the sides. She could feel Jaal's gaze on her, but he was quiet. She took a long drink to keep from having to look over, but eventually she did put her cup back down and look at him.

Jaal smiled and glanced down at her omnitool. "Is your translator working again?" he asked. His tone of voice was the same, but the words were again seamlessly transmitted from her subdermal implant to her auditory nerve.

All the inhibitions the communication barrier had helped her lower started to slot back into place and she cleared her throat.

"Uh. Yeah. So...um..." Ryder said, tucking back hair that hadn't fallen out of place.

Jaal chuckled nervously as well and looked down at his tea. "Yes," he said. She smiled and lay her hand next to his, palm up. He smiled shyly before glancing back up and sliding his hand into hers.

"I've wanted to say something, or ask you if you were as interested as I am," he said.

"I am."

He nodded and looked at their hands together. "I enjoy spending time with you," he smiled wider and glanced up, "and flirting with you. I didn't know what the next step in your culture was, but it seems you've understood?"

Ryder laughed. "Yes, I hope so," she said, scooting closer.

He cleared his throat. "I would like for you to meet my family on Havarl, whenever we have the time for a stop."

"Really?" she asked. "I mean, yeah, I'd like to, but are you _sure?"_

Jaal propped his chin in his free hand and looked at her carefully. "It seems like you're asking a multilayered question here, but I don't know how to navigate it."

"I...uh...well, probably. Yeah. Um. I guess I'm not sure how to navigate it either, honestly," she said with a sigh. He squeezed her hand reassuringly and said nothing. She swallowed. "Well, um, first of all—what about your siblings? The ones we brought back from the Roekaar? Are, um..."

His brow wrinkled. "They're doing well," he shrugged.

Ryder sighed. "I mean, well, how will _they_ react? Or other people? Um. I guess...would..." she sighed again and considered. "Often, when humans introduce partners, or potential partners, to our families, it's..." she hesitated and glanced at Jaal, but he was just listening. "It's kind of an _annoucement._ That, publicly, I'm attached to this person and I hope my family likes them because the plan is for them to stick around for a while. Or if it's friends, that this person is a close friend who's a big part of my life. So, that's where my initial reaction came from, but I don't know what you intend with the gesture."

"And...if that _was_ what I intended?" he asked. She bit her lip and looked up into his soft smile. Her heart started to race and his thumb brushed the pulse point at her wrist. _Fuck._ "And...if I told you I want you to meet my family because I know they will all love you as I do?"

She stared at him. Her mouth opened slightly but froze when she realized she had no idea what to say to that. Jaal immediately leaned forward, concerned, and held her hand between both of his. "What is it? I've just said something wrong, haven't I?"

"Um," she choked out, "It's, uh, a little _soon_ to know something like that, don't you think?"

"Something like what?" he looked confused. "That my family will love you, too? I don't think so...I know them well, and I feel we've built a strong friendship, so I think I can—"

 _"No_ I mean— _what the fuck_ —I mean whether you _love_ me! We've—I—we literally _just now_ expressed interest in each other!"

"Yes? What does that have to do with whether I love you? We've been friends for months, bonded through combat together, helped each other—Sara. You are dear to me." Jaal shook his head. "Of course I love you. Why do you think I realized I was interested in a romantic relationship?"

Ryder pulled her hand from his and rested her forehead on her palms. "But that's—it's—I...we just don't usually say it that way. That word is...it's a _big deal."_

Jaal snorted. "This morning you said you love dried fruit in your oatmeal."

She sputtered and waved her hands. "Ok, that's, that's _different,_ it's a metaphor, and an object, it just means I really like—"

"A few days ago, you told Drack you loved him when he threw that adhi carcass into a group of Roekaar and it exploded." Jaal's voice was wobbling with amusement.

"That's _different_ _too_ _,_ _"_ she insisted, "I'm not going to date _Drack_ , I mean, he's _a_ _thousand years old_ —"

"And Vetra, when she gave you that food for Liam's movie night. And Liam, when he told that joke about the... _duck,_ I think it was? Oh, actually—" he was grinning widely now, leaning forward on his elbows, and she had no escape. _"And me,_ when I said I'd rather bathe in the Scourge than visit Kadara."

"Augh, fine! I'm just..it's just...it's just _weird."_

"Expressing love and affection for people you care about is _weird,"_ he said skeptically, resting his chin in his hand.

 _"Ugh,"_ she rubbed her eyes and felt her blush expand. "Ok, you're right—it's just—" she sighed, "the context feels different. When I tell a friend or a family member I love them, that's exactly what it is: expressing my affection and attachment. And yeah, I _do_ feel that for you," she cleared her throat and blushed harder, "but in a romantic relationship telling someone you love them means you're _in love_ with them. The feeling that...you're absolutely head over heels crazy about someone. It's not just expressing affection and attraction, but that you want a commitment."

 _"Oh,"_ he said as understanding finally dawned, "I see."

Ryder crossed her arms and looked down. "Yeah," she managed, through the binds of her embarrassment.

"Well," Jaal said softly, smiling and holding his hands out again, "you're right. It is too early to know that. But...I'd like the chance to find out, if you're willing."

She let out a nervous breath and gave him a shaky smile. "Yeah?"

"Yes, Sara," he chuckled, then looked down at his hands and sighed. He clasped them and rubbed his thumbs together. "Maybe if you'd actually _understood_ what I was saying..."

Ryder bit her bottom lip and rested her hands over his. He looked up. "I understood enough," she said, "but not everything."

He smiled and looked back down to their hands. "I don't know if I would have been brave enough, otherwise," he said.

"You still managed to steal a kiss," she smirked.

 _"Steal?"_ he asked, eyes sparkling. "Are you _sure_ about that?"

She shrugged lightly and flicked her eyebrows up. "Idiom," she said as he scooted closer.

"What about now?" Jaal asked, trailing one hand up her arm. "Is _this_ okay, Sara?" he whispered, leaning closer, sliding his hand over her shoulder.

Ryder shivered. His other hand held hers and he rubbed his thumb over the back.

"Would it be theft?" he asked. His breath brushed her cheek. She swallowed hard and turned toward him.

"What do you think?" she asked. Her nose brushed his, his fingers edged up her neck. She felt him smile.

"I _think_ I'm still waiting for your answer, Sara," he whispered. "I'm _dizzy_ with the urge to kiss you again."

She grabbed him and threw herself into the kiss, trying to capture him with the ferocity he'd shown earlier. A short noise from the back of his throat faded into a low moan. His grip tightened around her hand, against her neck. She wanted his hands all over her.

When she cupped his cheek with her free hand, he whined and leaned into it. A small current wrapped around her wrist, warm, comforting.

They pulled apart slowly, taking turns leaning into the lingering caress. His breath was _hot_ and she felt him whisper her name against her cheek. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes again. Jaal was watching her with a smile.

"You still didn't answer my question," he said.

Ryder rolled her eyes and leaned close to brush their lips together again. "Maybe you just need another lesson in the language I'm speaking," she whispered.

Jaal kissed her again, slowly. "How was that?" he asked with a smile.

"Definitely needs more practice," she grinned. "You should consider private lessons."

 _"Private_ lessons?" he asked.

 _"Exclusive,_ in fact," she said. "The Pathfinder doesn't tutor just anyone. In her quarters. At 21:00 tonight."

Jaal chuckled and pressed his forehead against hers. "I'll be there," he said.


End file.
